Method of making a knockdown garage door



United States METHOD OF MAKING A KNOCKDOWN GARAGE DOOR This invention relates to a method of making aligned "sections for a sheet metal door construction and has particular reference to a sheet metal garage door of knockdown construction so as to facilitate shipping and handling of the door.

, A principal object of the invention is to provide a new and improved method of making aligned sections for asheet meta'l door.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method of making aligned sections for a garage door or the like constructed so that the same may be separated into two halves after manufacture to facilitate handling and shipping of the door in knockdown relation, and which may thereafter be readily assembled into a complete door at the installation in which it is to be used.

Other and further objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description and claim and may be understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, which by way of illustration shows a preferred embodiment of the invention and what I now consider to be the best mode in which I have contemplated applying the principles of my invention. Other embodiments of the invention may be used without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view showing the two separate but similarly formed door sections prior to their assembly;

Fig. 2 is a perspective View of a completed door;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view showing the manner in which the two halves of the door are adapted to be secured together;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the parts in assembled relation; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of the door during one stage in the manufacture thereof.

A complete or assembled door is illustrated in Fig. 2 as viewed from the inner side of the door. The door is illustrated in Fig. 1 in its knocked-down condition as comprising an upper half 12 and a lower half 14, which are adapted to be secured together to complete the door 19. The two halves of the door 12 and 14 are generally similar in construction and may comprise sheet metal panels 16 and 18 respectively, each of which may be formed from a single sheet of metal or from two or more sheets suitably secured together to provide a panel of the required size.

Each of the panels 16 and 18 are provided with spaced parallel grooves 20 forming ribs 22 projecting from the outer surface thereof to provide rigidity and an attractive appearance to the door. A frame member 24 extends along one edge of each door section and is disposed parallel to the grooves 20 therein. Each door section also includes a series of spaced parallel frame elements 26 secured on the inner side of the panel and disposed perpendicular to its frame members 24. The frame members 24 and the frame elements 26 may be made from the same stock out to suitable lengths, and as shown may be generalatent O 1y channel-shaped in cross section with the open side of the channel facing the door panel.

As illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, the upper door section 12 has a groove 20 formed along its lower edge and the panel 18 of the lower half of the door has a marginal groove 20 along its upper edge, with the panel 18 being extended in the form of a short flange 28 beyond the marginal groove 20. The frame members 24 and the frame elements 26 may be secured to their respective door panels in any suitable manner such as by spot welding. In their assembled relation as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the upper and lower door sections 12 and 14 are secured together by means of connecting elements 30 in the form of sheet metal channel sections which are adapted to be telescopically received within the channels defined by the frame elements 26. The frame elements 26 on each door section project a slight distance beyond the planar surface of the panel to which they are secured and terminate substantially at the level of the bottom of the V defined by the marginal groove 21 of the panel. When the two panels or door halves are assembled the marginal grooves. on each panel will be in the nested relation shown in Fig. 4 while the frame elements 26 on the panels will be aligned and in endwise engagement with each other. The door sections may be readily assembled by inserting one of the connecting elements 30 into each frame member 26 on the upper door section 16 and then securing the connecting elements within such frame members by suitable bolts passing through apertures 32 in the frame members 26 and aligned apertures 34 in the connecting elements 30. Thereafter the lower door section may be moved up against the upper door section so that the projecting portions of the connecting elements 30 will enter the channels. defined by the frame members 26 on the lower door section and to nest the marginal grooves 20 on the two door sections in the relation shown in Fig. 4. Bolts or screws are then employed for fastening the channels 26 of the lower door section to the connecting elements 30 and the door is then completely assembled and ready to be installed. The panels 16 and 18 are made of relatively thin gauge metal so as to have sufiicient resiliency to enable the marginal grooves on the two door sections to be fitted together during assembly of the door.

Fig. 5 illustrates one stage in the manufacture of the door in which the vertical frame elements 26 extend continuously between the upper and lower frame members 24 rather than being initially cut to a length appropriate for each door half prior to being secured onto their respective door panels. It is contemplated that the upper and lower panels 16 and 18 may be arranged in the relation they will assume in a completed door, that is, with the marginal grooves of the panels in nested relation as shown in Fig. 5. Thereafter single lengths of the frame elements 26 are laid across the assembled panels 16 and 18 between the top and bottom frame members 24. After the frame members 26 have been welded or otherwise secured onto both the upper and lower door sections the frame members 26 may be cut as by a saw along the dotted line indicated .at 36 in Fig. 5. The line 36 along which the series of frame elements 26 are severed lies in a plane parallel to the bottom of the marginal grooves 26 of the two door sections so that there will be clearance for a saw or other cutting tool during the severing operation. Since the marginal flanges or grooves of the upper and lower door sections are not secured together, the two door sections thus formed by severing the frame elements along the line 36 will correspond to the upper and lower sections 12 and 14 illustrated in Fig. 1. The two door sections may thus be handled and shipped in their knockdown condition along with an appropriate number of connecting elements 30. At the place of installation the door sections are assembled as previously described.

An important advantage in constructing the door as .described above is in the fact that proper alignment of the frame elements 26 during final assembly of the door is insured since the aligned pairs of frame members were originally a single length during manufacture and must necessarily align properly when the two door sections are reassembled.

The foregoing construction provides a light weight relatively rigid sheet metal door which is economical to manufacture, easy to handle, and inexpensive to transport due to its knockdown construction, and which may be easily assembled by the user of the door.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is understood that this is capable of modification, and I therefore do not Wish to be limited to the precise details set forth but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claim.

I claim:

The method of making a garage door which comprises providing two separate sheet metal door sections each of which is approximately one-half the size of the door to be formed, forming complementary grooves along one edge of each section, arranging said sections in a common plane with said grooves in overlapped but unfastened relation to provide a single panel the size of a complete door which is separated along the said overlapped portions of said separate door sections, placing a series of frame elements on one side of said panel with each frame element extending transversely across said grooves to substantially the opposite edges of said two door sections, securing each frame element to each door section, and severing said frame elements along the line of said overlapped grooves to separate the door into two separate halves each consisting of one of said door sections and a series of frame elements secured thereto'and adapted to align with the frame elements on the other half of the door upon final assembly of the door.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 219,335 Wilson Sept. 2, -1879 1,334,851 Glass Mar. 23, 1920 2,172,270 Ansel Sept. 5, 1939 2,253,384 Lown et a1 Aug. 19, 1-941 2,322,700 Mussey June 22, 1943 2,596,792 Robinson May 13, 1952 2,646,591 Knarzer July 28, 1953 

